What makes a star athlete tick? Beneath the talent of every champion resides a driving force – whether ego, grit, or an unshakable belief in themselves – that propels them to greatness. Entering the echelon of sports documentaries is Jason Hehir’s look at tennis great Novak Djokovic, which explores the driving force behind one of the greatest tennis players of all time as he faces the inevitable end of his career.
In Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter, Hehir lifts the veil on Djokovic with a revealing portrait of a champion defined by greatness, controversy, and an unwavering belief in himself. Top athletes can be polarizing figures, and Djokovic is no exception. He has earned as much respect as he has criticism, on and off the tennis court. Using key interviewees from the tennis world, including Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal and more, the straightforward doc critiques his game and the skills that have led the Serbian star to become a 24-time Grand Slam winner and Olympic Gold medallist while scoring over 1,100 career singles match wins. Hehir approaches his subject not with fawning eyes and a sense of grandeur but with a human lens that makes it accessible to any documentary audience, not just die-hard tennis fans.
For tennis followers, the insights into Djokovic’s game may not feel especially revelatory. Where Hehir’s documentary truly excels is in exploring the man behind the champion. Captivated by tennis in 1991 in what was then Yugoslavia, Djokovic came of age amid the turmoil of war, a formative experience that shaped both his resilience and his relentless pursuit of greatness. Tennis was his outlet and escape amid turmoil in his country. Contrasted with the orderly nature of tennis are his recollections of a childhood spent searching for shelters during air raids. These traumatic moments enlighten viewers into his mindset, where tennis was a welcome focus.
Known for throwing temper tantrums and taunting naysayers on the tennis court, Djokovic’s attitude and ego are rightly discussed. The Wolf in Winter exists not to paint an overly flattering portrait of Djokovic, but a fulsome one. It would have been remiss of the filmmaker not to include Djokovic’s deportation from Australia ahead of the 2022 Australian Open.
In an experience he still refers to as traumatic, Djokovic, who had not been vaccinated for COVID-19, qualified for an entry exemption in a time of pandemic lockdowns and quarantines. Against the wishes of his wife, Jelena, Djokovic publicly noted his exemption on Instagram before hopping on the long flight to Australia. The backlash and outrage preceded his landing, and he was detained in an immigration hotel before his visa was cancelled. Discussing this incident, Djokovic—who says he is neither pro- nor anti-vaccine—reveals a willingness to challenge authority that has surfaced at other points throughout his career. Although he illustrates he holds no grudges, returning to win the 2023 Australian Open, it’s a moment in the film that perhaps best defines his ego. He comes across as being above the rules, revealing the same unwavering self-belief that has propelled him to greatness and, at times, alienated him from the public
That public persona may be one that is brash and bold, but his family life is much different. Told through interviews with his Jelena, and using home video footage and glimpses of his life off the court, the story lets Djokovic the tennis champion become human. Father to a son and daughter, long tournament absences compound, but his attention and love for his family are more than evident. This is the push and pull between his career and family that is most evident as he balances an inevitable end to his career. He is the wolf in the winter of his tennis game, and as Agassi says during an interview, “the end always comes fast.”
The Wolf in Winter arrives at the precise moment when Djokovic’s greatest challenge is no longer proving he can win, but determining when to stop. The same unwavering belief that propelled him to greatness now guides him toward an uncertain final chapter. At this stage of his career, he has options – to walk away on his own terms, to have an injury decide for him, or to be eventually surpassed by the next generation. Whatever comes next, Hehir’s documentary offers a rare glimpse of an athlete forced to consider the one thing he has spent his career avoiding: the end.
Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter arrives on Prime Video on August 20.